British Future Football Campaign: England Together
Today sees the launch of #EnglandTogether, a new initiative calling on England fans to show their support for the team and for an inclusive England that is shared by people of all backgrounds.
Voices from faith, diversity and cohesion organisations, across England, are asking people to show their support for the Three Lions and an inclusive England by tweeting #ItsComingHome #EnglandTogether with a picture of what an inclusive England means to them. That could be a picture of themselves or their friends and family supporting the team; it could just be a picture of the England team or the Three Lions badge.
It matters that we have something to bring England together. In a democratic society, there are plenty of things we can disagree about with each other. Finding things we share matters too – this helps to foster a shared sense of identity and to bridge divides, pushing back against prejudices.
England today is proud to be inclusive – like the team that represents us. It is a team that fans of every background in England today can identify with and feel part of.
So we want to make sure that everyone who wants to be part of this occasion feels invited to join in. New supporters and lifelong football fans; new arrivals in England and those who can trace their family history back generations – this is an England in which we can all take pride.
The #EnglandTogether campaign is supported by the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board; Eastern Eye; City Sikhs; JW3; the Muslim Council of Britain; the TUC; the Jo Cox Foundation; British Future; Centre for English Identity and Politics (University of Southampton); Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon OBE; Cohesion Plus (Kent); More In Common; Belong – the cohesion and integration network; New Horizons in British Islam; Bright Blue; English Labour Network; and Spirit of 2012.